God’s mercies don’t come in one color; no, they come in every shade of every color of the rainbow of his grace. God’s mercies are not the sound of one instrument; no, they sound the note of every instrument of his grace.

God’s mercy is general; all of his children bask in his mercy. God’s mercy is specific; each child receives the mercy that is designed for his or her particular moment of need.

God’s mercy is predictable; it is the fountain that never stops flowing. God’s mercy is unpredictable; it comes to us in surprising forms.

God’s mercy is a radical theology, but it is more than a theology; it is life to all who believe.

God’s mercy is ultimate comfort, but it is also a call to a brand-new way of living. God’s mercy really does change everything forever, for all upon whom this mercy is bestowed.

"How unwisely do those young believers talk, who make preferences in the Persons of the Trinity..."

MARK, beloved, the union of the Three Divine Persons in all their gracious acts. We believe that there is one God, and although we rejoice to recognize the Trinity, yet it is ever most distinctly a Trinity in Unity, Our watch-word still is—“Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD.”

How unwisely do those young believers talk, who make preferences in the Persons of the Trinity; who think of Christ as if he were the embodiment of everything that is lovely and gracious, while the Father they regard as severely just, but destitute of kindness; and how foolish are those who magnify the decree of the Father, or the atonement of the Son, so as to depreciate the work of the Spirit. In deeds of grace none of the Persons of the Trinity act apart from the rest. They are as united in their deeds as in their essence. In their love towards the chosen they are one, and in the actions which flow from that great central source they are still undivided.

Specially I would have you notice this in the case of sanctification. While we may without the slightest mistake speak of sanctification as the work of the Spirit, yet we must take heed that we do not view it as if the Father and the Son had no part therein. It is correct to speak of sanctification as the work of the Father, of the Spirit, and of the Son. Still doth Jehovah say, “Let us make man in our own image after our likeness,” and thus we are “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Somebody get this to Trump. It might stop the bloodshed, if he's sincere.

If anyone has access to Trump or his campaign staff, I would like to offer the following statement to him. I submit that it would go further to getting him elected than anything he is currently saying. If it’s sincere.

My Fellow Citizens,

I come to you today with a genuine humility. I want you to know that in the past I have behaved very poorly. As a younger man I allowed my wealth and fame to go to my head resulting in me looking at women more as objects than people deserving of every respect. I said and did things in line with that way of thinking that I now deeply regret. I was prideful, cavalier, often mean and spiteful. The remnants of some of that behavior has followed me even till now. But here it stops. Some of these things you have already heard about and in all likelihood there will be more to come before this election. I find it all a sad reminder of a past I no longer want to be associated with. Many women have been offended by my words and actions. I want to say to you that I apologize – not “if” you are offended but because I know I was wrong. My dear wife and daughter are helping me to see just how painful many of my words and actions have been. Let me use a word from the Bible that I am learning. Repentance. To repent is to “turn around” and I am repenting. I’m turning away from my juvenile and vulgar attitudes regarding women. My friends, I want to be a champion for every American regardless of gender, race or creed. I know full well that not one of us is perfect and I have no desire to dwell in the gutter of personal attacks any longer. I will no longer bring up the indiscretions and sins of other men to defend my poor behavior. I will speak only of my ideas and goals as I believe they are better in the long run for this great land. This election is a crossroads. The Supreme Court is on the line, religious liberty is in danger, small businesses are being strangled by over regulation, jobs are fleeing our shores, our inner cities are suffering, and we face the cruel reality of those who want to bring terror and destruction to the world in the name of a radical ideology. We must act now or we risk losing so much. I offer you no excuses. I simply dedicate myself to being a different kind of man. A man you can be proud of. I ask you to pray for me, for this great land, and be sure to vote in this election. Thank you.

Psalm 42

This in one of my favorite Psalms. I love the honesty, the roller coaster of emotion , the depths and the heights. Many is the day when I have to instruct myself more than once to “bless the Lord, O my soul!”

Psalm 42

S) Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 42:11 ESV)

H) The Psalm is attributed to the Sons of Korah. Who was Korah? A great gandson of Levi, we read about him being put to death for his rebellion against Yahweh (Num. 16). His boys escaped the judgment (Num. 16:11) and later became doorkeepers and then leaders of worship in the sanctuary of God. It contains one of the most beloved (and most sung) passages of Scripture:

This Psalm and Psalm 43 were separated but likely make up one song. Throughout the Psalm there is great distress. The singer is weeping, crying out for help, taunted and oppressed by adversaries. He wonders when he will ever be able to once again lead the throngs of worshipers into God’s house. Repeatedly, rather than let despair overtake him, he instructs his soul to bless the Lord. (Twice in this psalm, v.5, 11 and once in the companion Psalm 43:5)

A) As John Piper has remarked, “Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next and then finally to heaven. Life is a winding and troubled road. Switchback after switchback.” Saints will always experience great heights of joy but, just as certain, great depths of suffering. I am so grateful that God knows our frame. He knows that we are but dust and He holds in His heart a Father’s pity for our weaknesses and our often faithless responses to trials. The psalmist is reminding himself of God’s faithfulness and everlasting promises. So often I have had to do this. My dark nights of the soul have not been as tortuous as many others have been but they are still mine and they are real. Thankfully, the Spirit has comforted me and prompted me again and again to count on the promises of the Father. I love this verse and chorus of a song we are singing in church:

When I fear my faith will fail,
Christ will hold me fast;
when the tempter would prevail,
He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path;
for my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.

He will hold me fast,
He will hold me fast;
for my Savior loves me so,
He will hold me fast.

P) Father, I pray that I would know ever more deeply your keeping power in my life. You can surely be trusted and my heart is safe in your hands. In Jesus name, Amen.

Psalm 135

Idolatry is the act of trusting in anything or anyone to bring satisfaction to the deepest desire of our longing hearts. Our God speaks to that deep desire. The idols of any age “have no breath within them.” God offers to breathe life into our hearts with a vision of His glory. If we insist on our idols, we risk becoming like them: deaf, blind, mute and lifeless. Jesus offers so much more!

Psalm 135

S) “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them.” (Psalm 135:15-18 ESV)

H) In this Psalm, God is celebrated as the Creator and the Lord of all history. The Psalm consists of 4 sections:

V.1-4 All of God’s servants are urged to give Him great praise

V. 5-14 Reasons to give God praise. Focus is on His creative power and His acts of redemption toward Israel

V. 15-18 The uselessness of idols and the danger of becoming like them.

V. 19-21 A return to the call to praise. Blessing the Lord is exhorted 5 times.

Are you familiar with cover bands? They are music groups that “cover” the songs of popular artists. They may put their own spin on them but the lyrics remain the same. Sometimes they will do a medley, covering pieces of several songs and presenting them as one piece. The unknown author of this Psalm has done just that. He has his own take on things but the psalm is largely the content of other scriptures woven into a new piece.

A) The characteristics of idols in the OT is that they are deaf, dumb and blind. The main idea was that they were dead. “…nor is there any breath in their mouths.” The idols of any age are only empty dead ends. The scriptures tell me that Jesus is a living “life-giver.” (John 5:21; John 6:33; John 6:39-40; John 6:54; John 6:57; Romans 8:2; Romans 8:10) My instinct for self-preservation is not simply a desire to not die but is rooted in my deepest desire to be fully alive and united to Jesus in His eternal life. So why do I so often trust in things that cannot give me life? I feel the tension that is always with me – “this will satisfy you more than prayer…this is more vital than your Bible…this will give you immediate pleasure, why wait for some pie in the sky?” Variations of these fiery darts seem to always be assaulting my shield of faith in one form or another. I am reminded in this Psalm of two things. 1) God’s reputation is good. He has a track record. He will deliver those who trust Him. 2) Praise is a means to keeping my heart anchored to God’s faithfulness. When I drift from the cross, when my praise turns to complaining and I begin to doubt God’s faithfulness, I am ripe for idolatry. The more I bow before whatever that idol may be I will become more like it. Deaf to God’s voice, blind to God’s truth, muted instead of giving thanks, and ultimately courting death. I want to choose daily to direct my affections toward God and trust in His faithfulness.

P) O God, you are my life! I bless You for are true and faithful. You are the great creator of all things and the sovereign over all of life. There is nothing in this world that can breathe life into me other than you. Keep me alert to the snares of death. Help me to cooperate with Your Spirit’s promptings and set my heart continually upon You. Give me an ever growing desire to feast on Your truth so that my shield of faith may stand strong against the lies of the enemy of my soul. In Jesus name, Amen!

Psalm 73

To draw near to thee, my God, Shall be my sweet employ; My tongue shall sound thy works abroad, And tell the world my joy.

Isaac Watts, Hymn:”God our Portion Here and Hereafter.”

Psalm 73

S) But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. (Psalm 73:28)

H) This Psalm is in three parts. Each part is introduced by the word “Surely” (v. 1, 13, 18 – NASB;NIV). It is attributed to Asaph and it’s refreshingly honest. Asaph admits his great envy of the godless who increase in riches and appear to have an easy life. It seems that all of his efforts to walk righteously have been a waste of time! Why is it that the ungodly prosper while the righteous suffer trials and persecution? What benefit is there in denying one’s self the sinful pleasures of the world? Where is the justice and equity of God? I have to sadly admit that these questions have crossed my mind. The psalmist feels like an idiot when he finally steps back and reflects. (v.21-22) Asaph reminds us of two things:

1) Keep the big picture in mind. There is an end to the temporary happiness of the wicked. (v.16-20)2) God is our refuge and our hope. It is good to stay near to God. (v.23-28)

A) Jesus tells me that I can do nothing apart from Him. My goal then is to do as He says and “abide in the vine” (John 15). Jesus made a way through His shed blood for me to “draw near to God” (James 4:8, Hebrews 10:22) and it is by staying near to Him that I maintain His perspective on my sufferings, my joys, my temptations and my true and eternal hope. It isn’t complicated. I stay close through prayer, Bible meditation, worship, fellowship, hearing the preached Word and attending to the table of the Lord. As I draw close and abide in Christ, my eyes are filled with the treasure He truly is. I can say with Asaph:

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
(Psalm 73:25-26 ESV)

P) Father in heaven, I am often confused and dismayed as I look around this world. So often it seems that those who have no heart for you are richly rewarded. They cater to their flesh by their riches and I find myself with seeds of resentment in my heart. O God! You are my everlasting joy! This life is but a vapor and those who perish without Your grace will see an eternal end of all happiness but for those who trust in You there are pleasures forevermore. Our heartaches are for a moment, our joy is everlasting. Thank you Father. Prompt me day by day to draw close to You, make You my refuge and tell others of Your works. In Jesus name. Amen

Psalm 98

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her king.” The well familiar carol “Joy to the World” was penned by Isaac Watts and based upon Psalm 98. That the Psalm should be associated with the Incarnation makes perfect sense. Psalm 98 has a messianic theme that envisions the day when all the earth shall see the salvation of God.

Psalm 98

S) Psalms 98:3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

H) The psalm is in three parts.

1) Praise for God’s mighty work of salvation (v. 1-3)
2) A call for all people to respond to God with joyful praise (4-6)
3) A call to the creation to erupt in praise for God’s just rule in the earth (v. 7-9)

The idea that all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God is limited in one sense because David’s knowledge of the size and scope of the planet only went so far. However, the Holy Spirit speaking through David was and is in full command of the galaxies not to mention the planet! The vision is a Messianic future in which the Messiah rules over all. We do not yet see that. The writer to Hebrews tells us:

Hebrews 2:8b-9
“Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.”

(Everything is under subjection to Jesus but we do not yet see that. Jesus the Messiah is about the business of patiently populating the new heaven and earth.)

“But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

When the Bride is fully prepared, when the living stones have all been gathered, when the ends of the earth have heard the glorious gospel, when souls from every tribe, nation and tongue have bowed the knee to Jesus – then! – all things will be made new, every wrong will be put right, the earth will make a joyful noise, rivers will applaud His glory, the seas will roar His praise and the hills will sing for joy. Grace will reign far as the curse is found.

A) I’m reminded that while Hebrews says we don’t yet see all things subject to Christ, we do see Him and in Hebrews 12:2 we are urged to “fix our eyes” (NIV) upon Him. I want to keep my gaze on the risen, rescuing, redeeming, ruling Jesus. These are dark days in many ways but He is the light that will light my path. He is the light the darkness will never extinguish.

P) Father in heaven, my heart is often troubled when my gaze drifts across the landscape of this world’s suffering and sin. How I long for you to come and make it right! Help me by your grace and power to fix my eyes on Jesus, to rejoice in Him and to walk in hope that a day will soon arrive when all the earth will acknowledge His sovereign reign! In Jesus name, Amen